Drought now obstructs rain making operations

[webfact]

Drought now obstructs rain making operations



BANGKOK: -- Drought situation in the country is very critical to the extent that artificial rain making operation is also affected due to unfavorable weather.

Rain making centre set up in Nakhon Sawan recently to make rains reported that it could fly only one mission to make rains while the rest days there were no moisture that could activate to form rains.

Despite pleas from farmers in many areas across the country for artificial rain, the Royal Rain Making Operations Centre in Phitsanulok province has kept their fleet aground, as the weather remained too dried, with air moisture leveling at less than 60 per cent, making it impossible to create any artificial rainfalls.

The centre reported that it would wait until after March 20 to see if there will enough moistures in the air to make artificial rains.

Meanwhile, the Department of Royal Rainmaking and Agricultural Aviation, along with the Royal Irrigation Department (RID), and the Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) have been providing integrated information to support a universal water management system by using the same database to tackle drought, as well as forest fire and haze problems.

The three departments are set to use the water management system, planned to be firstly installed at the Pa Sak Chonlasit dam, as a model for other dams and reservoirs nationwide.

The Economics Faculty of Rangsit University said drought will not only directly affect the country’s agricultural sector, but will also affect the economy as a whole.

Damage to farm crops is expected to exceed 50 billion baht.

It said if drought persists and the farming sector continues to be devastated by water shortage crisis, the country might face an influx of farmers to cities in search of jobs to make a living.

It noted that it is important that measures to tackle the problem in the short and long terms be implemented

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/content/155138


-- Thai PBS 2016-03-15

[trogers]

"Despite pleas from farmers in many areas across the country for artificial rain"

Squeezing blood out of stone...

[clockman]

They have paid a price, No planning or forethought. Only live for the day.

[Reigntax]

Nothing gets past the rain making squad. A drought provides unfavourable conditions for rain.

[Hawk]

No clouds, no rain. Simple!

[JAG]

They have paid a price, No planning or forethought. Only live for the day.

Oh those responsible for planning and forethought, and management of the country's water resources won't pay a price.

The poor sods struggling to scratch a living from the parched land will be the ones paying.

[BuckBee]

pretty stupid situation relying on rain making in heavy drought climate, real action should of started half a decade ago, still not much happening besides lip service .

Thailand won't be a happy or fun place without water & even chinese & sex tourists will dwindle as it no fun here without a full flow cool shower :-S

Farmers will be dry first while bangkokians still hosing their yards & mercs :-/

If have an overly long dry season then even bangkok will have issues, will be an acid test for the current mob at the trough ...

[harness]

Thai newspaper article today talks about how golf courses and resorts are still steam ahead on the tapwater and borewater.

Reports that already there's an exodus out of dry villages into larger towns and factory zones.

Social,economic and political ramifications could be severe.....even disastrous for the country.

One minute the taps are flowing and there's plenty of groundwater to pump.....and the next it's all over folks.

What would happen if the taps in a big city in the northeast or north just ran dry? What would people do? I suppose those with cars would try to get out ....but where.

Is there still plenty of water down in say, Chumporn or Surat? Even Krabi and Trang have water shortages they tell me.

They're counting on a big rain in May. Another dry "wet season" and it's all over, red rover!

[Srikcir]

the country might face an influx of farmers to cities in search of jobs to make a living

If one can believe the government that unemployment has ranged between 0.65-1.0% year-on-year January 2016, many farmers will not find work in metropolitan areas. Even university graduates are now having difficulty finding work. Youths aged 15-24 years old have the highest unemployment rate.

A growing group of unemployed farmers migrating into cities in search of an economic safety net might turn into protests against the government.

The end of 2016 may become a very nasty political climate.

[ratcatcher]

the country might face an influx of farmers to cities in search of jobs to make a living

If one can believe the government that unemployment has ranged between 0.65-1.0% year-on-year January 2016, many farmers will not find work in metropolitan areas. Even university graduates are now having difficulty finding work. Youths aged 15-24 years old have the highest unemployment rate.

A growing group of unemployed farmers migrating into cities in search of an economic safety net might turn into protests against the government.

The end of 2016 may become a very nasty political climate.

"The end of 2016 may become a very nasty political climate."

Mark those words!

[BuckBee]

^ +1 on that .

[SOUTHERNSTAR]

Time to sharpen the pitchforks ?

[chainarong]

This indeed is unfortunate, however I cannot remember any significant rain fall happening by this method ..................................

[natway09]

Rather stupid headline, as if no drought would not need rain making..Come on Ed !

[Reigntax]

This indeed is unfortunate, however I cannot remember any significant rain fall happening by this method ..................................

It is hard to give credibility to a government that applauds the success of this activity one day, then announces 30 odd provences are suffering drought the next, then states we have sufficient water until July, IF and only IF the seasonal monsoon rain arrives as expected.

[Thian]

Thai newspaper article today talks about how golf courses and resorts are still steam ahead on the tapwater and borewater.

Reports that already there's an exodus out of dry villages into larger towns and factory zones.

Social,economic and political ramifications could be severe.....even disastrous for the country.

One minute the taps are flowing and there's plenty of groundwater to pump.....and the next it's all over folks.

What would happen if the taps in a big city in the northeast or north just ran dry? What would people do? I suppose those with cars would try to get out ....but where.

Is there still plenty of water down in say, Chumporn or Surat? Even Krabi and Trang have water shortages they tell me.

They're counting on a big rain in May. Another dry "wet season" and it's all over, red rover!

Then they all run to the farang in big mansions with full swimmingpools. There are loads of them upcountry and they are very rich. Most of them stay abroad and only come to celebrate Songkran. Petchabun looks like a Western city during that period is what my Thai friends told me.

[carstenp]

Well they properly says its bad, some places has problems but mostly in chaing mai area. Lets hope this

Look here http://www.kromchol.com/array/BDam.htm

[Scott]

Off-topic posts, conspiracy posts and replies have been removed.

Stay on topic and the topic is not about Chemtrails.

[ratcatcher]

"China to release water from dam to alleviate SE Asia drought"

Anyone under any illusion that the Chinese aren't in control can read this and see. Perhaps there have been Chinese whispers from the Thai government?.

http://www.businessinsider.com/r-china-to-release-water-from-dam-to-alleviate-se-asia-drought-2016-3

edit to add.........The article failed to mention that the people in the photograph will be unaffected by China's magnanimity.

[Wilsonandson]

"China to release water from dam to alleviate SE Asia drought"

Anyone under any illusion that the Chinese aren't in control can read this and see. Perhaps there have been Chinese whispers from the Thai government?.

http://www.businessinsider.com/r-china-to-release-water-from-dam-to-alleviate-se-asia-drought-2016-3

The Xiaowan Dam (simplified Chinese: 小湾坝;traditional Chinese: 小灣壩; pinyin: Xiǎowān Bà) is an arch dam on the Lancang (Mekong) River in Nanjian County, Yunnan Province, southwest China. The primary purpose of the dam is hydroelectric power generation and it supports a 4,200 MW power station. Constructed between 2002 and 2010 byHuaneng Power International at a cost of ¥32 billion (nearly US$3.9 billion), it is the world's second highest arch dam at 292 m (958 ft). It is also third highest among dams of all types behind Jinping-I and Nurek and the third largest hydroelectric power station in China.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xiaowan_Dam

Mekong River.

[phoenixdoglover]

My wife's family has shifted cultivation away from rice to mushrooms. Water required is much less. It is sad however to see their fields only 10% cultivated, with little covered rows . If the drought goes on long enough, it could reshape the economy.

[The Deerhunter]

What an extraordinary and self evident headline! And even possibly contradictory. Without drought or incipient drought there would be no need for rainmaking. The headlines in newspapers in LOS can frequently be relied upon for entertainment if not actual information

[Scott]

A conspiracy post commenting on moderation has been removed.

[bangrak]

They have paid a price, No planning or forethought. Only live for the day.

Oh those responsible for planning and forethought, and management of the country's water resources won't pay a price.

The poor sods struggling to scratch a living from the parched land will be the ones paying.

'The poor sods' are the ones having 'no planning or forethough', due to 1) lack of education, 2) the love of money, IMO.

No doubt the poor/bad education system and the materialistic civilisation they didn't create, but it seems they even lost the farmer's famed common sense...

[bangrak]

This indeed is unfortunate, however I cannot remember any significant rain fall happening by this method ..................................

It is hard to give credibility to a government that applauds the success of this activity one day, then announces 30 odd provences are suffering drought the next, then states we have sufficient water until July, IF and only IF the seasonal monsoon rain arrives as expected.

The present Government is fully responsible! LOL I'll leave it to your appreciation whether the 'informations' they publish are more or less reliable that these from previous Governments. Personally, at least about water shortage, or excess, I'd say same-same, but in the military way...

As for the 'rain making', no doubt it goes well together with the popular beliefs common in this country. Like beliefs, superstitions, magics, a lot. Common sense, logic, rationality, na-ah.

No clouds = no rain

[Langsuan Man]

I'm sure that the lack of a shaman or fortune teller on the planes is the real reason for the failure of the rain making program

It's called junk science for a reason